Chapter 17: The Prodigy’s Burden and a Fated Reunion

“Look, everyone, look! Is that spiritual energy floating around our young lady? Could it be that she can already sense spiritual power and begin Foundation Establishment?”

“Unbelievable! Our young lady is only four years old! My own son couldn’t sense spiritual power until he was nine. Truly, she lives up to her title!”

“Wow, our young lady’s future is absolutely radiant! This is truly astonishing; I must inform the master at once!”

The smiles, praises, and astonished expressions of those around her burdened young Huang Yao Yue’s tender heart with a shackles named “pride,” irrevocably altering the course of her life from that moment forward.

As the sole daughter of the Huang family, Huang Yao Yue was, by all accounts, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, her every need met without effort. Such a life was the envy of countless others, and Huang Yao Yue was no exception. Branded a “genius” and rumored to possess heaven-defying talent, her childhood diverged significantly from that of ordinary children.

While the children of the other servants played together, she could only watch from a distance, feigning disinterest. It wasn’t shyness that kept her apart; rather, the moment she approached, those children would shrink back, wary as if facing a formidable enemy.

They seemed to regard her as an existence from a different realm, their minds already steeped in notions of hierarchy taught by their families. To them, Huang Yao Yue was entirely untouchable, inspiring fear and even dread, as they believed someone like her would disdain playing with them.

Thus, Huang Yao Yue inexplicably bore responsibilities far beyond her tender years. Every neighborhood and alley knew of the Huang family’s celestial prodigy. Since her mother’s death in childbirth, she had been expected to shoulder the family’s burdens like a son. Consequently, upon Huang Yao Yue’s astonishing display of talent, her future accomplishments began to subtly dictate the Huang family’s trajectory.

To live up to these immense expectations, the young Huang Yao Yue plunged into a relentless and arduous period of cultivation.

Swiftly, powered by her innate talent and the unwavering support of her family, Huang Yao Yue achieved the first stage of Qi Refinement by the age of six, shattering the Huang family’s historical record for the earliest entry into this cultivation level. Yet, she remained unaware of the true purpose behind her actions, or why she cultivated at all.

‘What was her true heart’s desire?’

She only knew that the praise and encouragement from those around her felt right. Reveling in these commendations, she felt a profound satisfaction, her inner voids filled in an unconventional way. From then on, Huang Yao Yue became absorbed in public cultivation, ultimately living up to all expectations.

By the tender age of eight, she had already reached the eighth stage of Qi Refinement. Her surroundings became saturated with flattery and accolades, yet this only served to create an even deeper chasm between her and others.

In such circumstances, no one offered her help. It was as if, in their eyes, a genius like Huang Yao Yue was incapable of error; her every word and action ought to transcend the ordinary. Yet, in truth, she was merely a normal little girl.

“A gurgling sound escaped her.”

Blood surged into her mouth from her throat, its foul, metallic stench clinging stubbornly to her nostrils. Still, she absolutely could not dare to spit it out in front of so many people. She was a genius, the celestial prodigy in everyone’s eyes, and she could not, under any circumstances, disappoint them.

Thus, forcibly suppressing the backlash caused by her unstable spiritual energy, Huang Yao Yue persevered. Finally, dragging her trembling body, she managed to project an expression of nonchalance, then waved a weak, exhausted hand as if to convey that everything was under her control.

After all, she was Huang Yao Yue; how could she possibly make such a blunder as losing control of her Qi?

“Hahahaha, I told you the young lady wouldn’t make such a mistake, didn’t I? You still doubted me! Truly worthy of our young lady!”

“Indeed, she is our young lady. My worry just now was utterly superfluous. Please forgive my presumption, young lady.”

Huang Yao Yue let out a cold huff, then departed under the admiring gazes of the crowd, speaking with a voice utterly devoid of warmth or emotion as she walked.

“Hmph! How could such a trivial matter possibly stump me? Next time, don’t be so overly dramatic. Who am I? I am Huang Yao Yue, the sole daughter of the Huang family!”

Only after she had completely vanished from everyone’s sight, and confirmed that no one else was around, did Huang Yao Yue press one hand against her stifling chest.

Clotted blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining the ground. On the surface, her breakthrough appeared effortless, yet only she, the one experiencing it, truly understood the profound agony of the process, which far exceeded what any ordinary person could endure.

Her internal organs raged with a constant, tumultuous pain from severe injuries. Had Huang Yao Yue’s constitution not already transcended the norm due to her cultivation, such wounds would have been lethal to any adult man.

‘Oh, how I wish someone would comfort me, how I wish I had someone to lean on, how I wish I could act spoiled and mischievous like a normal little girl. But… I absolutely cannot do any of these things, because my surname is Huang, and I am Huang Yao Yue!’

To ordinary eyes, Huang Yao Yue’s cultivation journey seemed to sail smoothly, a state she maintained until just before her ninth birthday. That was, until….

“Hey, are you alright? Wake up, quickly, wake up! What happened to you?”

During one of her cultivation sessions, a deviation in her spiritual energy caused her blood and Qi to surge, severely damaging her internal organs. She collapsed, gravely wounded, in the main courtyard.

It was a long while before Huang Yao Yue slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing the anxious gazes of her grandfather and father, she realized she had been moved to a bed. But who had saved her?

“Hello, my name is…”

Although Huang Yao Yue had, for some reason, forgotten the name of her savior, she still vividly recalled the scene of their first meeting.

At that time, Huang Yao Yue had met the little boy through her grandfather’s introduction. The boy possessed captivating azure eyes, and the vigor and spirit he exuded were far beyond what one would expect from a child his age. Furthermore, a faint spiritual energy resonated within his body. While considerably weaker than Huang Yao Yue’s, to possess such strength at his tender age marked him as a rare cultivation talent.

“Yue’er, it was this kind little benefactor who discovered you collapsed in the courtyard. He held you and cried out frantically, which drew our attention. Had it been any later, your life might have been in danger.”

Her grandfather, who had never smiled at anyone outside the family, actually stroked the little boy’s head and spoke with a chuckle, clearly fond of the clever child.

“Thank you… you…”

Huang Yao Yue uttered these words almost through gritted teeth, her body trembling uncontrollably from the shock. She especially dared not meet her grandfather’s gaze, fearing that a single glance upward would reveal his immense disappointment.

She had failed, committing an error like any ordinary person, a profound disgrace for the Huang family. Huang Yao Yue even wished this were merely a dream, from which she would awaken to find nothing had happened.

“Heh heh, you are a guest of our Huang family, and this time you saved my granddaughter. We owe you a favor. Speak your wish; as long as it’s within my power, I will absolutely grant it!”

It was well known that the Huang family’s foundation was unparalleled in the Cloud Firmament Kingdom. The weight of a single favor might seem insignificant, yet in the eyes of those with true ambition, it was worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.

Moreover, with Elder Huang himself making the offer, even destroying an entire force on his behalf would be effortless, a mere trifle that could easily sway the Cloud Firmament Kingdom’s dominion.

“It’s nothing, really. This was simply what I ought to do. Anyone would step forward to help in such a situation.”

Watching the little boy shake his head in refusal, Elder Huang narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him as if attempting to see through him. A moment later, the old master of the Huang family burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahaha, truly, heroes emerge from the young! Worthy of being Lan Baotian’s son indeed.”

‘Indeed, I was being overly suspicious. After all, he’s just a little boy; how could there be any schemes or tricks?’

“Yue’er~”

“Grandfather, I…”

At her grandfather’s call, Huang Yao Yue lowered her head even further, her profound shame transforming into a nascent resentment towards her savior.

‘Why did this fellow have to meddle and save me? Doesn’t he know I’m from the Huang family? Doesn’t he know who I am?’

“I’m sorry~”

Her grandfather suddenly spoke in a soft, gentle voice, then tenderly stroked Huang Yao Yue’s head.

“Grandfather?”

“You’ve suffered so much these past years. I never realized that you, a little girl, would bear so much pressure without reason. Only now do I truly see that you are still just a little girl~”

His parched eyes, rarely wet, now brimmed with tears, two streams carving paths down his crisscrossed, wrinkled face. He had never once discovered the true feelings hidden within his precious granddaughter’s heart. He had always assumed her withdrawn personality was due to her being precocious, but now he realized they were all to blame.

The thought of his beloved granddaughter enduring so much hardship over the years filled Elder Huang’s heart with immense self-reproach.

“Grandfather~”

Huang Yao Yue, sobbing uncontrollably, clung to her grandfather, weeping profusely, pouring out all the grievances she had harbored over the years.

“Wuwu~ Grandfather… I want to play with them too, I want to be like everyone else. I’m so tired.”

Huang Yao Yue clutched her grandfather tightly, her voice choked with sobs, seemingly having forgotten the little boy standing awkwardly nearby, overlooked by the two. ‘What should I do now?’ he must have wondered, as the grandfather and granddaughter appeared to have completely disregarded his presence.

“Lan’er, there you are! I wondered why I couldn’t find you anywhere. Hmm? What are they doing?”

At that moment, a man with glasses and the demeanor of a scholar approached. Seeing the two embraced and weeping, he paused, taken aback, and couldn’t help but ask.

Subsequently, the little boy and Huang Yao Yue shared an unforgettable yet fleeting period of happiness. Finally free from the shadow of the Huang family, Huang Yao Yue could play like a normal little girl. She also forged a deep friendship with the unnamed boy, though perhaps it was more one-sided.

After all, it was always she who sought him out to play, unleashing all her previously suppressed capriciousness upon his innocent self. Surely, the little boy never anticipated that Huang Yao Yue would repay his kindness with such “ingratitude.”

Nonetheless, the little boy fully embraced the role of an older brother, constantly looking out for her feelings despite not being much older than Huang Yao Yue. Ultimately, he helped Huang Yao Yue completely emerge from her emotional shadows.

Afterward, they parted ways. Huang Yao Yue remembered crying for a long time then, even holding her grandfather’s hand and weeping that she didn’t want the little boy to leave.

Subsequently, she repeatedly inquired about the boy’s whereabouts with her grandfather, but he never uttered a single word, telling her it was better for her not to know their movements for now, not just for her own sake, but for the boy’s entire family.

Despite this, Huang Yao Yue never gave up. As she grew older, she began questioning the household servants who had been present at the time, but the results were profoundly disappointing. No one had any recollection of the father and son; they seemed to have vanished into thin air. It was then that Huang Yao Yue remembered her grandfather’s words, and only then did she reluctantly abandon her search.

Ultimately, this matter remained dormant in Huang Yao Yue’s heart. The little boy held an immensely important place in her mind; he was the most significant person to ever alter the course of her life.

Even she herself hadn’t realized that the deep affection, growing stronger since childhood, had long since settled within her heart. She found herself increasingly unable to forget the little boy, often dreaming of him appearing before her on a white horse. She believed that one day, he would reappear, and that day would not be far off.

“Miss Huang, what is your decision?”

Seeing Huang Yao Yue biting her lip, Yun Tianqi could only press his advantage, pursuing her with intensified fervor.

“As long as Miss Huang marries me, the Huang family is guaranteed to soar far above any other clan. Furthermore, you are well aware that the Huang family is already plagued by internal strife and external threats. Only with the assistance of my Cloud Firmament Royal Family can you truly escape your predicament!”

“…”

‘Marry him, marry him!’

‘Yes, I am no longer a child. Those past memories have long since faded. Every action I take now must be for the sake of the Huang family. And just as Yun Tianqi said, the Huang family is no longer as secure as it once was; turmoil brews everywhere. At this moment, there is no one else who can help us overcome this crisis except for the man before me. I can no longer afford to be naive; princes do not exist.’

Huang Yao Yue’s eyelashes fluttered almost imperceptibly. Under Yun Tianqi’s visibly excited expression, she slowly raised her hand, reaching towards the ring. Yun Tianqi knew he had succeeded. Too thrilled to speak, he immediately rose, grabbing Huang Yao Yue’s trembling hand, intending to slip the ring onto her finger. Everything, he believed, would fall into place effortlessly from this point forward.

“How moving! This will surely become a beautiful legend in our Cloud Firmament Kingdom for generations to come!”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

The nobles, who had been applauding and cheering, turned back with puzzled expressions upon hearing the discordant voice, simultaneously catching a strong whiff of alcohol.

“Brother, what do you mean by that? Are you against this marriage?”

“Me?”

The speaking man chuckled self-deprecatingly, then inexplicably strode forward. Though he took only a few steps, he instantly appeared beside Yun Tianqi and Huang Yao Yue, and to Huang Yao Yue’s utter astonishment, he pulled her into his embrace.

Then, gazing at Yun Tianqi’s exceedingly sinister expression, he sneered.

“My apologies, but I do not approve of this marriage. If you’re so capable, come and strike me~”